Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a display apparatus includes separating a mother substrate that includes a plurality of connected unit display apparatuses into a plurality of separated unit display apparatuses. Each separated unit display apparatus includes a display panel and at least one supporting unit attached below the display panel. The display panel includes a display substrate that has a pad area on which are disposed a plurality of pads and a thin film encapsulation layer on the display substrate. The method further includes consecutively cutting the display panel and the at least one supporting unit of each separated unit display apparatus along cutting lines in the pad area, where a first cut surface of the pad area of the display substrate and a second cut surface of the at least one supporting unit are respectively cut at different angles.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from, and thebenefit of, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0020010, filed on Feb.20, 2018 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the contents ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

One or more embodiments relate to a display apparatus and a method ofmanufacturing the display apparatus.

2. Discussion of Related Art

In general, display apparatuses can be used in mobile devices, such assmartphones, laptop computers, digital cameras, camcorders, or personaldigital assistants (PDA), and electronic devices, such as desktopcomputers, televisions, outdoor advertisement boards, or sample displaydevices.

Recently, thin display apparatuses have been released into the market.

Flexible display apparatuses are easy to carry and can be incorporatedinto various types of devices. Among the various types of displayapparatuses, flexible display apparatuses based on an organiclight-emitting display technology are the most popular.

For convenience in manufacturing, a plurality of unit displayapparatuses are formed on a mother substrate and then are separated intounit display apparatuses. However, in a cutting process, due to heatgenerated in the unit display apparatuses, metal wirings may carbonize.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments include a display apparatus in which a pluralityof unit display apparatuses can be separated into unit displayapparatuses and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus.

Additional embodiments will be set forth in part in the descriptionwhich follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, ormay be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

According to one or more embodiments, a method of manufacturing adisplay apparatus includes separating a mother substrate that includes aplurality of connected unit display apparatuses into a plurality ofseparated unit display apparatuses, where each separated unit displayapparatus includes a display panel and at least one supporting unitattached below the display panel, the display panel includes a displaysubstrate having a pad area on which are disposed a plurality of pads;and consecutively cutting the display panel and the at least onesupporting unit of each separated unit display apparatus along cuttinglines in the pad area of the display panel, wherein a first cut surfaceof the pad area of the display substrate and a second cut surface of theat least one supporting unit are respectively cut at different angles.

Consecutively cutting the display substrate and the at least onesupporting unit includes: inverting each separated unit displayapparatus using a first inverter such that the at least one supportingunit is positioned above the display panel; consecutively cutting the atleast one supporting unit and the display substrate by irradiating alaser beam from an upper area of the at least one supporting unit; andinverting again each unit display apparatus using a second inverter suchthat the display panel is positioned above the at least one supportingunit.

Consecutively cutting the at least one supporting unit and the displaysubstrate may include irradiating the laser beam in a vertical directionfrom an upper area of the at least one supporting unit toward an areawhere the at least one supporting unit and the pad area of the displaysubstrate overlap each other.

Consecutively cutting the at least one supporting unit and the displaysubstrate may include moving the laser beam in a direction crossing anextension direction of the plurality of pads to an edge of the displaysubstrate and consecutively cutting the at least one supporting unit andthe display substrate across the plurality of pads.

A first angle is formed between the first cut surface and a verticalaxis perpendicular to a plane of a bottom surface of the at least onesupporting unit, and a second angle is formed between the vertical axisand a second cut surface, wherein the second angle may be greater thanthe first angle.

The first angle may be less than or equal to 10°.

According to one or more embodiments, a method of manufacturing adisplay apparatus includes: separating a mother substrate that includesa plurality of connected unit display apparatuses into a plurality ofseparated unit display apparatuses, wherein each separated unit displayapparatus includes a display panel and at least one supporting unitattached below the display panel, the display panel includes a displaysubstrate having a pad area on which are disposed a plurality of pads;performing a first laser beam machining operation with a first laserbeam that cuts the supporting unit of each of the plurality of separatedunit display apparatuses; and performing a second laser beam machiningoperation with a second laser beam that cuts the pad area of the displaysubstrate of each of the plurality of separated unit displayapparatuses.

The first laser beam machining operation may include a one-time processthat cuts the at least one supporting unit of each of the plurality ofseparated unit display apparatuses.

The first laser beam may have a magnitude sufficient to cut from asurface of the at least one supporting unit to a boundary between the atleast one supporting unit and the pad area of the display substrate ofeach of the plurality of separated unit display apparatuses

The second laser beam machining operation may cut the pad area of thedisplay substrate in from about 90 to about 100 repetitions.

The second laser beam may have an output less than or equal to 5 W andmay be moved in a direction crossing an extension direction of theplurality of pads to an edge of the display substrate at a rate equal toor greater than 1.0 m/s.

Consecutively cutting the display panel and the at least one supportingunit of each separated unit display apparatus along cutting lines in thepad area of the display panel may include cutting the plurality ofconnected unit display apparatuses along dummy cutting lines in a dummypad area that extends from a pad area of each of the plurality of unitdisplay apparatuses that includes dummy pads respectively connected tothe pads.

The at least one supporting unit may include a protection film attachedbelow the display substrate by a first adhesive, and a carrier filmattached below the protection film by a second adhesive, where thecarrier may be removed from the protection film after the cutting.

A thin film encapsulation layer may be disposed on the displaysubstrate, and a polarizing layer may be formed above the thin filmencapsulation layer.

According to one or more embodiments, a display apparatus includes adisplay panel that includes a display substrate having a pad area onwhich a plurality of pads are disposed, and a thin film encapsulationlayer on the display substrate; and at least one supporting unitarranged below the display panel, wherein a first cut surface formed bycutting the plurality of pads and the display substrate extends from anedge of the pad area of the display substrate, a second cut surfaceformed by cutting the at least one supporting unit extends from an edgeof the at least one supporting unit where first cut surface meets the atleast one supporting unit, and the first cut surface and the second cutsurface are cut at different angles.

A first angle is formed between the first cut surface and a verticalaxis perpendicular to a plane of a bottom surface of the at least onesupporting unit, and a second angle is formed between the vertical axisand a second cut surface, wherein the second angle may be greater thanthe first angle.

The first angle may be less than or equal to 10°.

The at least one supporting unit may include a protection film attachedbelow the display panel.

The display panel may include a polarizing layer disposed above the thinfilm encapsulation layer.

The display panel may include: at least one thin film transistor thatincludes a semiconductor activation layer, a gate electrode, a sourceelectrode, and a drain electrode disposed on the display substrate; andan organic light-emitting device electrically connected to the thin filmtransistor that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and anemission layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display apparatus in an unbent state,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a display apparatus of FIG. 1 in arolled state, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a top-plan view of a unit display apparatus according to anembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a unit display apparatus ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a unit display apparatus ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process of manufacturing a unit displayapparatus, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7A illustrates cutting a plurality of connected unit displayapparatuses on a mother substrate, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7B is a top-plan view of connected unit display apparatuses of FIG.7A separated into a plurality of separated unit display apparatuses.

FIG. 7C is a top-plan view of cutting lines of separated unit displayapparatuses of FIG. 7B.

FIG. 7D illustrates irradiation of a laser beam onto a unit displayapparatus of FIG. 7C.

FIG. 8 is a picture of a cut surface of a unit display device, accordingto an experiment of the applicant.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a sub pixel included in a displaydevice according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As the present disclosure allows for various changes and numerousembodiments, exemplary embodiments will be illustrated in the drawingsand described in detail in the written description. Features of thepresent disclosure and methods of achieving the features will bedescribed more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Thepresent disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms andshould not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments setforth herein.

It will be understood that when a layer, film, region, or component isreferred to as being “formed on,” another layer, film, region, orcomponent, it may be directly or indirectly formed on the other layer,film, region, or component. Also, sizes of elements in the drawings maybe exaggerated for convenience of explanation.

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like referencenumerals may refer to like elements throughout, and repeateddescriptions will not be given.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display apparatus in an unbent stateaccording to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of adisplay apparatus of FIG. 1 in a rolled state.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, according to an embodiment, a displayapparatus 100 includes a display panel 110. The display panel 110 is aflexible film. The display panel 110 includes a display area 111 thatdisplays images and a non-display area 112 that extends in an outer areaof the display area 111.

In an embodiment, the display apparatus 100 further includes variousfunction layers, such as a supporting unit, a touch sensing unit, and apolarizing layer, etc. When the display apparatus 100 is in operation,images can be seen in the various states of the display apparatus 100,such as a flat state, a curved state, or a cylindrical rolled state. Thedisplay apparatus 100 corresponds to a unit display apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a top-plan view of a unit display apparatus according to anembodiment, and FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a unitdisplay apparatus of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, according to an embodiment, a unit displayapparatus 300 is a flexible display apparatus.

According to an embodiment, the unit display apparatus 300 includes adisplay panel 301. The display panel 301 includes a display substrate305 that includes a plurality of elements and a thin film encapsulationlayer 306 disposed on the display substrate 305. The elements disposedon the display substrate 305 include a plurality of thin filmtransistors TFT and a plurality of light-emitting devices connected tothe thin film transistors.

According to an embodiment, the display substrate 305 includes a displayarea 307 that displays images and a non-display area 308 that extends inan outer area of the display area 307. Thin film transistors andlight-emitting devices are disposed in the display area 307. The thinfilm encapsulation layer 306 covers the thin film transistors and thelight-emitting devices. The non-display area 308 include a bending area(BA) 309, used to bend the display panel 301 in one direction, and a padarea (PA) 301 that extends in an outer area of the bending area 309.

According to an embodiment, the pad area 310 is disposed at an edge ofthe display substrate 305. A plurality of pads 311 are disposed in thepad area 310. The pads 311 are electrically connected to thelight-emitting devices arranged in the display area 307.

According to an embodiment, a driving unit 303 is connected to thedisplay panel 301. The plurality of pads 311 are electrically connectedto a plurality of driving terminals 312 in the driving unit 303.Conductive units 324 that electrically connect each of the pad terminalsin the pads 311 to each of the driving terminals 312 in the driving unit303 are provided between the plurality of pads 311 and the plurality ofdriving terminals 312.

According to an embodiment, the driving unit 303 is electricallyconnected to a circuit board 304. The circuit board 304 is a flexibleprinted circuit board (FPCB).

According to an embodiment, a supporting unit 302 is disposed below thedisplay substrate 305. The supporting unit 302 includes a protectionfilm 313 attached below the display substrate 305 by a first adhesive315, and a carrier film 314 attached below the protection film 313 by asecond adhesive 316.

According to an embodiment, protection film 313 and the carrier film 314are polymer films. In an embodiment, the protection film 313 and thecarrier film 314 include polyethyleneterephthalate (PET).

According to an embodiment, the protection film 313 protects the displaysubstrate 305 from foreign substances and increases the rigidity of thedisplay substrate 305. A thickness of the protection film 313 is greaterthan that of the display substrate 305. The protection film 313 isbendable. The protection film 313 is firmly attached below the displaysubstrate 305 via the first adhesive 315.

According to an embodiment, the carrier film 314 is an insulating filmthat is used while manufacturing the unit display apparatus 300. In anembodiment, when manufacturing a plurality of unit display apparatusesusing a mother substrate, the carrier film 314 covers each of the unitdisplay apparatuses 300. The carrier film 314 protects the unit displayapparatuses 300 in manufacturing or transportation processes. Thecarrier film 314 is removed from finished products.

According to an embodiment, a thickness of the carrier film 314 is lessthan the thickness of the protection film 313. The carrier film 314 isattached below the protection film 313 by the second adhesive 316, whichis less sticky than the first adhesive 315, and after the plurality ofunit display apparatuses are separated into unit display apparatuses,the carrier film 314 is removed.

According to an embodiment, at least one function layer 317 is disposedon the thin film encapsulation layer 306. The function layer 317includes various layers, such as a polarizing layer, a touching sensingunit, etc. The function layer 317 is disposed above the thin filmencapsulation layer 306 via a third adhesive 318. In another embodiment,the function layer 317 is directly patterned on an upper surface of thethin film encapsulation layer 306 without using the third adhesive 318.A cover film 319 is attached onto an upper area of the function layer317. The cover film 319 protects the function layer 317 and is removedin a final manufacturing process.

According to an embodiment, when manufacturing the unit displayapparatus 300, a cutting process is performed that separates a pluralityof unit display apparatuses into respective display apparatuses 300. Anedge of the display substrate 305 and an edge of the supporting unit 302have cut surfaces that are respectively cut at different angles. An edgeof the display substrate 305 is an area in which the pads 311 arearranged.

Referring to FIG. 5, according to an embodiment, a supporting unit 302is disposed below the display panel 301, and the function layer 317 isdisposed above the display panel 301. The supporting unit 302 includesthe protection film 313 (see FIG. 4). In another embodiment, thesupporting unit 302 includes the protection film 313 (see FIG. 4) andthe carrier film 314 (see FIG. 4), and in this case, the carrier film314 is removed after the cutting process.

According to an embodiment, the pads 311 extend along an edge in the padarea PA of the display substrate 305. At the edge of the displaysubstrate 305, a first cut surface 321 is formed by cutting the displaysubstrate 305 and the pads 311. The first cut surface 321 includes a cutsurface of the display substrate 305 and a cut surface of the pads 311.

According to an embodiment, at an edge of the supporting unit 302 thatcorresponds to the edge of the display substrate 305, a second cutsurface 322 is formed by cutting the supporting unit 320.

According to an embodiment, the first cut surface 321 and the second cutsurface 322 are respectively cut at different angles.

According to an embodiment, let the display panel 301 and the supportingunit extend in a horizontal plane defined by an X axis and a Y axis, andlet a vertical axis VA correspond to a Z axis that is normal to the X-Yplane. A horizontal axis HA corresponds to the X direction shown in FIG.5. In detail, an angle with respect to the vertical axis VA between thefirst cut surface 321 and a bottom surface 302 a of the supporting unit302, is a first angle θ₁. The bottom surface 302 a of the supportingunit 302 is disposed opposite from the display substrate 305. The bottomsurface 302 a of the supporting unit 302 shown in FIG. 5 is a horizontalsurface parallel to an XY plane. The supporting unit 302 and the displaysubstrate 305 overlap each other in FIG. 5, and the bottom surface 302 aof the supporting unit 302 is parallel to a horizontal surface 305 a ofthe display substrate 305, and both surfaces are parallel to ahorizontal axis HA.

According to an embodiment, the first angle θ₁ between the vertical axisVA and the first cut surface 321 is less than or equal to 10°. The firstcut surface 321 may be perpendicular to the bottom surface 302 a of thesupporting unit 302.

According to an embodiment, an angle between the vertical axis VA andthe second cut surface 322 of the supporting unit 302 that extends upfrom the bottom surface 302 a is a second angle θ₂. The second angle θ₂is greater than the first angle θ₁.

According to an embodiment, the second angle θ₂ is greater than thefirst angle θ₁ for, in a cutting process, an energy density of a laserbeam irradiated onto the supporting unit 302 is relatively high, and anenergy density of a laser beam irradiated onto the display substrate305, where the pads 311 are disposed, is relatively low.

A process of manufacturing the unit display apparatus 300 according toan embodiment is described below, with reference to FIGS. 6, 7A through7D.

Referring to FIG. 7A, according to an embodiment, a plurality ofconnected unit display apparatuses disposed on a mother substrate 700are separated into a plurality of separated respective unit displayapparatuses 300 (S100). First, the mother substrate 700 is provided. Themother substrate 700 is used to simultaneously manufacture a pluralityof unit display apparatuses 300. The mother substrate 700 is a glasssubstrate. A plurality of connected unit display apparatuses are formedon the mother substrate 700.

According to an embodiment, each unit display apparatus 300 includes thedisplay panel 301 of FIG. 4 and the supporting unit 302 attached to thelower surface of the display panel 301. In detail, the protection film313 and the carrier film 314 included in the supporting unit 302 havesizes that are identical to a size of the mother substrate 700. In anembodiment, the carrier film 314 is manufactured as a part of the unitdisplay apparatus 300 is removed from a finished product.

According to an embodiment, a laser beam is irradiated onto the mothersubstrate 700 by a laser beam machining process, and the plurality ofconnected unit display apparatuses disposed on the mother substrate 700are separated into the plurality of separated respective unit displayapparatuses 300, as shown in FIG. 7B. The plurality of connected unitdisplay apparatuses are cut along a first cutting line CL1 thatcorresponds to a first edge of each unit display apparatus 300 and asecond cutting line CL2 that corresponds to a second edge of each unitdisplay apparatus 300. A laser beam is irradiated onto the mothersubstrate 700 by a CO2 laser unit.

Referring to FIG. 7C, according to an embodiment, each unit displayapparatus 300 includes a dummy pad area DPA that extends from a pad areaPA in which the pads 311 are disposed to an edge of the unit displayapparatus 300 and that is cut off. Dummy pads 323 are disposed in thedummy pad area DPA adjacent to the pads 311. The dummy pad area DPA isused to manufacture the pad area PA and is removed in the cuttingprocess.

In an embodiment, when performing a laser beam machining process on themother substrate 700, when a laser beam is directly irradiated onto thepad area PA in which the pads 311 are disposed, the pads 311 may becarbonized. To prevent carbonization of the pads 311, each of the unitdisplay apparatuses 300 is cut along a dummy cutting line DCL thatcorresponds to an edge of the dummy pad area DPA. Next, the connectedunit display apparatuses 300 are cut along a cutting line CL thatcorresponds to an edge of the pad area PA of each of the unit displayapparatuses 300.

According to an embodiment, to consecutively cut the display substrate305 and the supporting unit 302, the unit display apparatus 300 isloaded onto a pad cutting apparatus (S200). Before loading the unitdisplay apparatus 300, a function layer 317 is attached on the displaypanel 301.

Next, according to an embodiment, during the cutting process, to preventcarbonization in the pad area PA caused by the laser beam machining, theunit display apparatus 300 is reversed by a first inverter (S300). Thefirst inverter is an apparatus that inverts a loaded unit displayapparatus, such as a robot.

According to an embodiment, when the unit display apparatus 300 isinverted, as illustrated in FIG. 7D, the supporting unit 302 ispositioned above the display panel 301.

Next, a laser beam L is vertically irradiated into an upper area of thesupporting unit 302, and cuts the display substrate 305 where thesupport unit 302 and the pad area PA are disposed (S500). The laser beamL is a short wavelength laser apparatus, such as a pico-second laser ora femto-second laser. Examples of short wavelength laser apparatusesinclude an ultraviolet (UV) pico-second laser apparatus, a greenpico-second laser, an infrared ray (IR) pico-second laser, etc. As thesupporting unit 302 includes a polymer film, such aspolyethyleneterephthalate (PET), the supporting unit 302 is notcarbonized when irradiated by the laser beam L

According to an embodiment, the laser beam L irradiated along thecutting line CL that corresponds to an edge of the pad area PAconsecutively cuts from the supporting unit 302 down to the displaysubstrate 305 where the pads 311 are disposed.

According to an embodiment, the laser beam L is irradiated in a verticaldirection from the upper area of the supporting unit 302 down to the padarea PA of the display substrate 305 on which the pads 311 are disposed.As the laser beam L is irradiated through the unit display apparatus300, the laser beam L is moved in an X-direction that crosses the Ydirection, as illustrated in FIG. 7C, crossing the pads 311. The laserbeam L moving in the X direction along the cutting line CL consecutivelycuts the supporting unit 302 and the display substrate 305, as shown inFIG. 7D.

According to an embodiment, when the laser beam machining process iscompleted, as shown in FIG. 5, the first cut surface 321 of the displaysubstrate 305 and the second cut surface 322 formed by cutting by thesupporting unit 302 are respectively cut at different angles. The firstcut surface 321 extends down from the top surface of the displaysubstrate 305, where the pads 311 are disposed, to a top surface of thesupporting unit 302, where the first cut surface 321 meets the secondcut surface 322, and the second cut surface 322 extends down from thetop surface of the supporting unit 302 to the bottom surface 302 a ofthe supporting unit 302.

According to an embodiment, an angle with respect to the vertical axisVA between the bottom surface 302 a of the supporting unit 302 and thefirst cut surface 321 is the first angle θ₁, and an angle with respectto the vertical axis VA between the bottom surface 302 a of thesupporting unit 302, and the second cut surface 322 of the supportingunit 302 is the second angle θ₂. The second angle θ₂ is greater than thefirst angle θ₁. The first angle θ₁ is less than or equal to about 10°.

According to an embodiment, the first cut surface 321 and the second cutsurface 322 are respectively be cut at different angles as the laserbeams respectively irradiated into the supporting unit 302 and thedisplay substrate 305 have different energy densities.

More particularly, according to an embodiment, a laser beam machiningprocess includes a first laser beam machining process to cut thesupporting unit 302 and a second laser beam machining process to cut thedisplay substrate 305.

Referring again to FIG. 7D, according to an embodiment, the supportingunit 302 is cut by a one-time irradiation of a laser beam into thesupporting unit 302. The laser beam irradiated into the supporting unit302 in the one-time process has a magnitude great enough to cut from thesurface 302 a of the supporting unit 302 to a boundary 325 between thesupporting unit 325 and the display substrate 305. An output of thelaser beam may vary according to a thickness of the supporting unit 302.In an embodiment, the laser beam irradiated into the supporting unit 302has an output that equals or exceeds 16 W. For example, the irradiatedlaser beam has an output of from about 16.4 W to about 16.8 W. Amachining rate of the irradiated laser beam is about 0.22 m/s.

Next, according to an embodiment, by irradiating several laser beamsinto the display substrate 305, the display substrate 305 is cut.Approximately 90 to 100 laser beams are irradiated into the displaysubstrate 305. For example, 95 laser beams are irradiated into thedisplay substrate 305. The laser beam irradiated into the displaysubstrate 305 has an output less than or equal to about 5 W and amachining rate greater than equal to about 1.0 m/s. For example, thelaser beam irradiated into the display substrate 305 has an output offrom about 3.0 W to about 3.3 W and a machining rate equal to or fasterthan 1.0 m/s.

As described above, according to an embodiment, by irradiating arelatively high energy density laser beam into the supporting unit 302and irradiating a a relatively low energy density laser beam into thedisplay substrate 305, a cutting process of the unit display apparatus300 is performed.

Accordingly, according to an embodiment, as described above, thesupporting unit 302 to which the laser beam is preferentially irradiatedcomes to have a wider cut area, and the display substrate 305 comes tohave a narrower cut area, and the second angle θ₂ may be greater thanthe first angle θ₁.

According to an embodiment, when the cutting process is finished, it ischecked whether the first cut surface 321 and the second cut surface 322are properly cut (S600).

Next, according to an embodiment, using a second inverter, the unitdisplay apparatus 300 is inverted again (S700). When the unit displayapparatus 300 is inverted again, the display panel 301 is positionedabove the supporting unit 302.

Next, according to an embodiment, the unit display apparatus 300 afterthe cutting process is unloaded from the pad cutting device (S800), andadditional processes may be performed.

Through the aforementioned processes according to embodiments, a unitdisplay apparatus 300 is manufactured.

FIG. 8 is a picture of cut surface of the unit display apparatus 300,according to an experiment performed by the inventor.

Referring to FIG. 8, according to an embodiment, an irradiated laserbeam continually cuts from the supporting unit 302 to the displaysubstrate 305 along a cutting line CL that corresponds to an edge of thepad area PA of the display substrate 305.

According to an embodiment, the display substrate 305, to which a lowenergy density laser beam is irradiated, is cut in a substantiallyvertical direction. On the other hand, the supporting unit 302, to whicha high energy density laser beam is irradiated, is cut in a slope at agreater angle than a cut angle of the display substrate 305.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a sub pixel of an organiclight-emitting display apparatus 900, according to an embodiment.

In an embodiment, the sub pixels have at least one thin film transistorTFT and at least one organic light-emitting device. However, a thin filmtransistor does not necessarily have a structure shown in FIG. 9, andthe number and the structure of the thin film transistors may bevariously changed or modified in other embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 9, according to an embodiment, the display apparatus900 includes a display substrate 901. The display substrate 901 is aflexible substrate.

According to an embodiment, an insulating layer 902 is disposed on thedisplay substrate 901.

According to an embodiment, a semiconductor layer 905 is disposed theinsulating layer 902. The semiconductor layer 905 may be a p-typesemiconductor or an n-type semiconductor. A gate insulating layer 907 isdisposed on the semiconductor layer 905. The gate insulating layer 907covers the semiconductor layer 905. The gate insulating layer 907 may bea single layer or a multilayer.

According to an embodiment, a gate electrode 906 is disposed on the gateinsulating layer 907. The gate electrode 906 may include a single metalor a plurality of metals. An interlayer insulating layer 909 is disposedon the gate electrode 906. The interlayer insulating layer 909 coversthe gate electrode 906. The interlayer insulating layer 909 may be anorganic layer or an inorganic layer.

According to an embodiment, a source electrode 908 a and a drainelectrode 908 b are disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 909. Apart of the gate insulating layer 907 and a part of the interlayerinsulating layer 909 are selectively removed to form contact holes thatexpose the semiconductor layer 905. The source electrode 908 a and thedrain electrode 908 b are electrically connected to the semiconductorlayer 905 that is exposed through the contact holes. A protection layer910 is disposed on the source electrode 908 a and the drain electrode908 b. The protection layer 910 may be a passivation layer or aplanarization layer.

According to an embodiment, the aforementioned thin film transistor iselectrically connected to a display element 904. In an embodiment, thedisplay element 904 is an organic light-emitting device, however, thedisplay element 904 is not limited thereto, and various other types ofdisplay elements may be provided in other embodiments.

According to an embodiment, the display element 904 is disposed on theprotection layer 910. The display element 904 includes a first electrode911, an intermediate layer 913, and a second electrode 914.

According to an embodiment, the first electrode 911 is connected throughthe contact holes to one of the source electrode 908 a or the drainelectrode 908 b. A pixel defining layer 912 is disposed on theprotection layer 910. The pixel defining layer 912 defines alight-emitting area of each sub pixel by surrounding edges of the firstelectrode 911.

According to an embodiment, the intermediate layer 913 is disposed onthe first electrode 911 in an area exposed by etching a part of thepixel defining layer 912. The second electrode 914 is disposed on theintermediate layer 913. In an embodiment, a plurality of sub pixels areformed on the display substrate 901. For example, each sub pixel may beone of a red, green, blue, or white pixel.

According to an embodiment, the intermediate layer 913 includes emissionlayers (EML) for red, green, blue, and in addition to the EMLs, theintermediate layer 913 includes, for example, a hole injection layer(HIL), an electron transport layer (ETL), and an electron injectionlayer (EIL) sequentially stacked in a single or composite structure.

According to an embodiment, a sealing unit 915 covers the displayelement 904. The sealing unit 915 includes alternating inorganic layersand organic layers.

As described above, according to an embodiment, by using a displayapparatus and a method of manufacturing a display apparatus,carbonization of a pad area can be prevented as a laser beam isirradiated through an upper area of the supporting unit.

Furthermore, according to an embodiment, a time for processing the unitdisplay apparatuses may be reduced.

It should be understood that exemplary embodiments described hereinshould be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodimentshould typically be considered as available for other similar featuresor aspects in other embodiments.

While one or more exemplary embodiments have been described withreference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinaryskill in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope as defined by thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a display apparatus,the method comprising: separating a mother substrate that includes aplurality of connected unit display apparatuses into a plurality ofseparated unit display apparatuses, wherein each separated unit displayapparatus includes a display panel and at least one supporting unitattached below the display panel, the display panel includes a displaysubstrate having a pad area on which are disposed a plurality of pads;and consecutively cutting the display panel and the at least onesupporting unit of each separated unit display apparatus along cuttinglines in the pad area of the display panel, wherein a first cut surfaceof the pad area of the display substrate and a second cut surface of theat least one supporting unit are respectively cut at different angles.2. The method of claim 1, wherein consecutively cutting the displaysubstrate and the at least one supporting unit comprises: inverting eachseparated unit display apparatus using a first inverter wherein the atleast one support unit is positioned above the display panel;consecutively cutting the at least one supporting unit and the displaysubstrate by irradiating a laser beam from an upper area of the at leastone supporting unit; and inverting again each unit display apparatususing a second inverter wherein the display panel is positioned abovethe at least one supporting unit.
 3. The method of claim 2, whereinconsecutively cutting the at least one supporting unit and the displaysubstrate comprises irradiating the laser beam in a vertical directionfrom the upper area of the at least one supporting unit toward an areain which the at least one supporting unit and the pad area of thedisplay substrate overlap each other.
 4. The method of claim 3, whereinconsecutively cutting the at least one supporting unit and the displaysubstrate comprises moving the laser beam in a direction crossing anextension direction of the plurality of pads to an edge of the displaysubstrate and consecutively cutting the at least one supporting unit andthe display substrate across the plurality of pads.
 5. The method ofclaim 3, wherein a first angle is formed between the first cut surfaceand a vertical axis perpendicular to a plane of a bottom surface of theat least one supporting unit, and a second angle is formed between thevertical axis and a second cut surface, wherein the second angle isgreater than the first angle.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein thefirst angle is less than or equal to 10°.
 7. A method of manufacturing adisplay apparatus, the method comprising: separating a mother substratethat includes a plurality of connected unit display apparatuses into aplurality of separated unit display apparatuses, wherein each separatedunit display apparatus includes a display panel and at least onesupporting unit attached below the display panel, the display panelincludes a display substrate having a pad area on which are disposed aplurality of pads; performing a first laser beam machining operationwith a first laser beam that cuts the at least one supporting unit ofeach of the plurality of separated unit display apparatuses; andperforming a second laser beam machining operation with a second laserbeam that cuts the pad area of the display substrate of each of theplurality of separated unit display apparatuses.
 8. The method of claim7, wherein the first laser beam machining operation includes a one-timeprocess that cuts the at least one supporting unit of each of theplurality of separated unit display apparatuses.
 9. The method of claim8, wherein the first laser beam has a magnitude sufficient to cut from asurface of the supporting unit to a boundary between the at least onesupporting unit and the pad area of the display substrate of each of theplurality of separated unit display apparatuses.
 10. The method of claim7, wherein the second laser beam machining operation cuts the pad areaof the display substrate in from about 90 to about 100 repetitions. 11.The method of claim 10, wherein the second laser beam has an output lessthan or equal to about 5 W and is moved in a direction crossing anextension direction of the plurality of pads to an edge of the displaysubstrate at a rate equal to or greater than about 1.0 m/s.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein consecutively cutting the display panel andthe at least one supporting unit of each separated unit displayapparatus along cutting lines in the pad area of the display panelcomprises cutting the plurality of connected unit display apparatusesalong dummy cutting lines in a dummy pad area that extends from a padarea of each of the plurality of separated unit display apparatuses thatincludes dummy pads respectively connected to the plurality of pads. 13.The method of claim 1, wherein the support film comprises a protectionfilm attached below the display substrate via a first adhesive, and acarrier film attached below the protection film via a second adhesive,wherein the carrier film is removed from the protection film after thecutting.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein a thin film encapsulationlayer disposed on the display substrate; and a polarizing layer disposedabove the thin film encapsulation layer.